IMAGE: Reuters/Henry Romero
The post-coup government is not shy to use force against supporters of Bolivia’s ousted president Evo Morales.
On November 16, officials reported at least 8 civilians were killed and dozens others were injured when police loyal to the post-coup government of Bolivia opened fire at pro-Morales rallies. The deadliest incident happened in Sacaba, near the city of Cochabamba.
Morales, who was granted asylum in Mexico after his November 10 resignation, described the development as a “massacre” and said that the interim government led by Jeanine Áñez is a dictatorship.
“I can’t be outside of the country. I’m used to being with the people as a union leader, president, doing work,” Morales said.
“I miss it (Bolivia) a lot. I’m looking for a legal way to go back and be with the people as they resist the dictatorship, the coup.”
A violence is increasing across Bolivia. Some local media and activists have started describing the ongoing developments as a kind of “civili war”. As many previous “civil wars”, this is slowly erupting from the illegal coup against the democratically-elected government.
Meanwhile, the post-coup government has started a rapid revision of the country’s foreign and domestic policies. On November 15, the post-coup regime announced that Bolivia leaves the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) and removed from posts around 80% of ambassadors to other countries. In the domestic policy, the new government strongly supports international corporations that has suffered a series of setbacks in the country during the Morales term.
